Madison Niermeyer, a senior at Skyline High School, has been named first-place winner of the Poetry Out Loud state championship.

Second place was awarded to Rachel Allen, a sophomore from Meridian School in Provo, and third place went to MacKenzie Brown, a freshman at Karl Maeser Preparatory School in Lindon.

Niermeyer receives $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national championship. Skyline High School will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry books. Allen was awarded $100, with an additional $200 going to Meridian's school library.

Students from 10 Utah high schools competed in the Utah State Championships, sponsored by the Utah Arts Council March 27 at the Salt Lake City Public Library Main Branch.